As a psychotherapist for over thirty years, I have always encouraged people to reach within themselves: to discover their most important dreams, values and goals.
What I didn’t realize until much later was that my philosophy and interventions were often the same tools employed by professional coaches. Intrigued, I pursued formal training to learn the more specialized skills that coaches employ to help their clients take dramatic strides. While I am wholly committed to the process of psychotherapy, I have discovered that coaching can be beneficial for a select group of individuals who are highly motivated to achieve their own specified goals.People seek out coaching when they know that they are dissatisfied with some aspects of their lives.
Feeling stuck and confused, they are often unable, or unwilling to take the steps necessary to bring about the changes they desire. Coaching becomes a partnership focused solely on the client and the client’s success. As you know, every successful athlete and performer works with a coach to maximize his or her results. Your personal coach will help you discover your own wisdom, and create awareness about what truly matters to you. You will get valuable feedback so that you can see your life from a totally different perspective. Furthermore, your coach will help you stay focused, and on track, so that you do not lose sight of your agenda. You and your coach will work collaboratively to bring out your very best assets and to establish long-lasting changes. I have developed a website that discusses coaching in greater depth. Please visit http://www.lifesmartscoaching.com to learn more about coaching.Coaching does not take the place of psychotherapy, nor is it appropriate for everyone.
People are often confused as to whether they should seek counseling or coaching. For those individuals who have been through deeply disturbing or traumatic experiences, or who find that the past keeps getting in their way, I believe that psychotherapy would very likely be the more appropriate choice. For those who need to look backwards to understand what is happening today, again, counseling would be preferable.Oftentimes, an introductory session makes sense to help the client determine which modality will be most helpful and will produce the best results.
